Bulletin – Sunday, June 27, 2021

Sunday, June 27, 2021

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Approach

Lighting the Christ Candle

We come together in the midst of a world that is, in some ways, deep in shadow. A world that is struggling and light seems to be at a premium. We light this Christ candle today to remind us that the light of Christ, the love of God, is always with us. As we gather within the light of this candle may we live in the Christian hope found in the love and presence of God, the hope of the coming of God’s kingdom.

Call to Worship

One: Wait for God, like those who hope in God’s mercy.
All: God’s steadfast love endures forever.
One: Watch for God, like those who eagerly await the morning.
All: We watch for God, whose power redeems us.
One: Hear God’s hopeful word, like those who long for pardon.
All: Sing praise to God and rejoice in God’s love.
One: Worship God, like those who trust in God’s love
All: We come together to worship in word and song.

Opening Hymn – VU #603 – “In Loving Partnership We Come” 

In loving partnership we come, seeking, O God, your will to do.
Our prayers and actions now receive; we freely offer them to you.

We are the hands and feet of Christ, serving by grace each other’s need.
We dare to risk and sacrifice with truthful word and faithful deed.

Loving community we seek; your hope and strength within us move.
The poor and rich, the strong and weak are brought together in your love.

In loving partnership, O God, help us your future to proclaim.
Justice and peace be our desire, we humbly pray in Jesus’ name.

Prayer of Approach

God calls us in our lives to take a risk, to be like the woman in the gospel who reaches out to Jesus for healing for herself; or the father who risks the scorn of others to bring Jesus to his dying daughter. Let us ponder for a moment the places in our lives where we may resist turning to God for healing and change. Those places and times in our lives when we would rather turn away from God then turn towards God. Those times in our lives when we let the shadows of the world win and we give into the brokenness of the world. O God of compassion, if you kept a record of our sins, who could stand? We come before you with our brokenness and our wounds for all to see. We bring our anger, our bitterness, our unwholesome talk, and our deceitfulness. We try to do good, but sometimes fail. We choose to do evil, and sometimes succeed. Keep your promise to forgive us when we confess to you completely. Without you, we have no hope.
(adapted from Susan Blaine)

Words of Assurance

Time for all Ages

Hymn – VU #329 – “O Jesus Christ, May Grateful Hymns Be Rising”

O Jesus Christ, may grateful hymns be rising,
In every city for your love and care;
Inspire our worship, grant the glad surprising
That your blest Spirit rouses everywhere.

Grant us new courage, sacrificial, humble,
Strong in your strength to venture and to dare;
To lift the fallen, guide the feet that stumble,
Seek out the lonely and God’s mercy share.

Show us your Spirit, brooding o’er each city,
As you once wept above Jerusalem,
Seeking to gather all in love and pity,
And healing those who touch your garment’s hem.

The Word

Scripture

2 Corinthians 8: 7 – 15
⁷Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.
⁸I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others. ⁹For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. ¹⁰And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something—¹¹now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. ¹²For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has—not according to what one does not have. ¹³I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between ¹⁴your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance. ¹⁵As it is written,
“The one who had much did not have too much,
and the one who had little did not have too little.”

Mark 5: 21 – 43
²¹When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. ²²Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet ²³and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” ²⁴So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. ²⁵Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. ²⁶She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. ²⁷She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” ²⁹Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. ³⁰Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” ³¹And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” ³²He looked all around to see who had done it. ³³But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. ³⁴He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
³⁵While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” ³⁶But overhearing^£ what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” ³⁷He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. ³⁸When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. ³⁹When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” ⁴⁰And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. ⁴¹He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talithacum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” ⁴²And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. ⁴³He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Anthem  (MV #132) – “Great Sorrow Prodded Jairus”

Meditation – Where is our hope?

Anthem – “Shout to the Lord” (Praise Team)

The Response

Prayer

Loving God, our sustainer, you allow us to share some of your love for the world. While we are here praying for the world’s healing, others are busy implementing that healing. Later, when we are out there trying to give of our best, may others remember to pray for us.

Give your grace to all peacemakers; those who endeavour to resolve with justice all conflicts between nations, and within communities, commerce and industry, parliaments, families, marriage partners, colleagues, and friends.
We pray for the presence of your love and grace.
Hear our prayer.

Let your grace support those who fight with and for neglected people; those small ethnic groups with no political clout, the little people who are constantly being marginalized by the rich and unscrupulous, those who find themselves always economically disadvantaged.
We pray for the presence of your love and grace.
Hear our prayer.

Endow those who work for other with your sustaining grace; those who treat diseases, bind up wounds, feed the hungry, re-settle the homeless, care for the orphan, visit the prisoner, encourage the handicapped, watch with the dying and grieve with the sorrowful.
We pray for the presence of your love and grace.
Hear our prayer.

Endorse the work of this church with your enabling grace. Keep it close to the agenda of Christ. Let us be joyful in worship, warm in fellowship, inclusive in outreach, open in decision making, humble and sensitive in evangelism, and gracious in our ecumenical endeavours.
We pray for the presence of your love and grace.
Hear our prayer.

Bless any servant of yours who is keeping the faith against the odds: those without the encouragement of other Christians at hand, or without even a distant congregation that can pray their names with affection. Please let your grace renew them daily, and may they know your Spirit as Friend and Counsellor.
We pray for the presence of your love and grace.
Hear our prayer.

Visit each of us with your grace, loving Friend. Dismantle our fears, build up our faith, deepen our love, clarify our goals, sharpen our insight, widen our compassion, and open our minds to the new words you wish to speak to our situation. Visit us each with your grace, especially those whom we lift up to you this day, as we pray for …….(prayer list).
We pray for the presence of your love and grace.
Hear our prayer.

In the name of the patient, insightful, and healing Christ we offer these prayers as we continue to pray in the words that Jesus taught us;

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever.
Amen.
(adapted from Bruce Prewer)

Closing Hymn – “Companions on the Journey”  

We are companions on the journey,
Breaking bread and sharing life;
And in the love we bear is the hope we share
For we believe in the love of our God,
We believe in the love of our God.

No longer strangers to each other;
No longer strangers in God’s house;
We are fed and we are nourished by the strength of those who care,
By the strength of those who care.

We have been gifted with each other,
And we are called by the Word of the Lord
To act with justice, to love tenderly,
And to walk humbly with our God,
To walk humbly with our God.

We are companions on the journey,
Breaking bread and sharing life;
And in the love we bear is the hope we share
For we believe in the love of our God,
We believe in the love of our God.

We will seek and we shall find;
We will knock and the door will be opened;
We will ask and it shall be given,
For we believe in the love of our God,
We believe in the love of our God.

We are made for the glory of our God,
For service in the name of Jesus;
To walk side by side with hope in our hearts,
For we believe in the love of our God,
We believe in the love of our God.

We are companions on the journey,
Breaking bread and sharing life;
And in the love we bear is the hope we share
For we believe in the love of our God,
We believe in the love of our God.

Benediction
Wait for God, with deep longing; and in God’s word we shall stand, waiting in hope.
Hope in God! For with God there is steadfast love, and with God there is great power to save.
Go into the world with assurance, hope and promise:
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ rest upon you – and even unsettle you;
the love of God, creator and giver of life, embrace you – and even confront you;
and the presence of the Holy Spirit encourage you – and surprise you,
this day and all your days. Amen.
(adapted from Jeff Shrowder)

Sung Response
Send us out in the power of your Spirit, Lord.
May our lives bring Jesus to the world.
May each thought and word bring glory to your name.
Send us out, in the Spirit, Lord, we pray.